


the interruption

by EasyPeasyPanic



Series: all of my founders era fics [11]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Drabble, Gen, I tagged Madara but he's only briefly mentioned, Inspired by Art, Kagami is spite and I love it, Owls, Team Tobirama, Tobirama isn't paid enough for these genin, Tobirama just wanted one peaceful training session
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:13:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24765226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EasyPeasyPanic/pseuds/EasyPeasyPanic
Summary: Tobirama's training session is interrupted by Kagami's new pet.That's it. That's the story.
Relationships: Senju Tobirama & Uchiha Kagami
Series: all of my founders era fics [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718458
Comments: 9
Kudos: 200





	the interruption

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kedrthetree](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kedrthetree/gifts).



> Totally inspired by Kedrthetree's Kagami and Owl Art on Tumblr, you guys have to check it out !! It's so good !

* * *

Here's the situation at hand, Tobirama doesn't usually feel the need to address much with Kagami when it comes to training sessions on time or his behavior. He's a bright, wonderful child without much scolding needed. Sure, he gets distracted often, or he's just a touch too mouthy for Tobirama's frayed nerves to handle on occasion, but he's a hard worker. Attentive when necessary, very talented and a joy to have around. 

But that's not the case today. Tobirama squints at his squad, all huddled up around each other and laughing loudly and gawking at something with Kagami's mop of black curls in the center of the mob. Obviously instigating the entire situation. He sets down the practice dummies he'd spent all morning having Anija craft just for their Taijutsu lessons, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. 

He glanced at the sky, frowning. Not only had Kagami been a few minutes late to the training fields this morning, but it seemed he was going to choose today to be difficult. Usually it was Saru that caused all the problems, either by summoning his new monkeys to wreak havoc on his teammates, or by rousing Danzou up enough that a fist fight would ensue where Tobirama would have to physically _pry_ them apart. 

(One of the few occasions that Tobirama didn't leave unscathed, generally sporting a bruise or two from wild elbow jabs and bucking kicks.)

Tobirama frowns deeper. He needs to handle this situation-- _whatever this situation is_ \-- now if he wants to have their attention at all today.

If they're distracted from the beginning, it sets a low tone for the rest of the day which usually leads to chaos. Everything falls apart. Danzou will be grumpier than usual. Hiruzen's probably going to pick a fight with whoever is closest to him, which hopefully won't be Homura. The thin frames gracing his face were Homura's last pair of uncracked glasses which he didn't need snapping in half when the infamous monkey boy ultimately smashed his face in with a pole. Koharu would screech, Torifu would probably leave for snacks-- no, absolutely not today. Tobirama would finish this madness before it ever started. He _had_ to divert the team's attention back to the matter at hand. 

He refused to lose another day of training to his team's ridiculous shenanigans. 

"Kagami." He calls out. "What do you have?"

Kagami visably perks up, although his expression reveals absolutely nothing. No guilt for an upcoming prank, no remorse for causing disruptions, but there's no giddiness either. Nothing to indicate he felt victorious or felt whatever he was doing was funny, or even that he felt proud for doing...whatever it was he was doing. Tobirama pauses, unsure of whether that should be taken as a positive sign or not. He stalked closer, forming a hand signal for the others to disperse so he could see clearly _what_ Kagami was doing that was more interesting than their training session. 

Koharu grumbled, arms crossed. Confliction crossed her face before she begrudgingly moved away from the Uchiha. Slowly, Homura did the same, looking back longingly until it was just his worst three huddled up around Kagami. 

"Saru, Dan. Torifu. Move aside." Tobirama _orders_. It takes a few seconds for the shorter boys to slowly turn away, but to his surprise, Torifu is the one that doesn't move a singoe muscle. He's a bulky figure compared to the tiny Kagami, and he seems to preen in keeping the Uchiha hidden. It's odd, and concerning, because out of all of his students, Torifu isn't one to disobey orders. He's the peaceful, diplomatic one. 

Tobirama offers a final warning, " _Torifu_." 

The Akimichi boy spins around, pouting. He crosses his arms over his chest, slumping in on himself defeatedly. "But Sensei." He said softly, eyes wide and clearly upset. "I really wanted to hold it next." 

Tobirama feels the blood freeze in his veins. He blinks dumbly for a moment, examining the building excitement and curiousity in the eyes of his students, and realizes he's missing a very _very_ large fact about what exactly is causing their amusement. 

" _It_?" He repeats slowly. 

Torifu moves aside. 

Something _hoots_ at him. 

Tobirama stares. Blinks. Swallows. Stares again. He opens his mouth, but decides against letting out a strangled cry of frustration from slipping out because his student is holding an _owl_. An actual owl, on his shoulder. Two sets of big eyes (one black, one shining yellow) peer back at him calmly, and the damned bird is the size of Kagami's head, perhaps bigger than. It's huge, all grey feathers and dark looks, obviously intelligent. It cocks it's head to the side, sizing Tobirama up like a predator closing in on its chosen prey. 

"I'm sorry I was late, Sensei." Kagami chirps, smiling cheerfully. He takes a step forward, seemingly unbothered by the weight perched on his thin shoulder. His eyebrows furrow and nose scrunches. "Why are you staring at me? Did I forget to brush my hair again?" He begins patting at his wild curls, straightening them out with his fingers. 

Sarutobi _laughs_ , "Maybe it's because of your bird!" He calls out, helpfully speaking for his dumbstruck sensei. Because Tobirama had expected many things to go astray today, but none of his calculations or predictions involved an _owl_. A large, grey-feathered owl of an unknown breed resting upon his favored Uchiha pupil's body like it had somehow claimed the boy. 

"Oh, you mean Kurumi?"

 _Oh_ , Tobirama thought absentmindedly. _He's named the owl as well._ And there wasn't a version of this day where his training session somehow returned back to his schedule, so he might as well go along with this. There was absolutely no way for Tobirama to calm them after this fiasco, or even to turn their interests back to sparring and ignoring the bird. What were training dummies crafted by the Shodai compared to an owl? 

The day was ruined, already. By the student he least expected to disrupt it. 

(He would need a drink after this, surely. Of all the situations that Tobirama had prepared for, a bird of prey hadn't even dared to cross his mind. Perhaps, he needed to expand his scope of thought. A touch more paranoia might help.)

Danzou's eyebrows shot up, "You named your owl 'walnut'?"

"I like walnuts. I like Kurumi." Kagami answered unapologetically. He nodded twice, as if reaffirming his naming decision. "It made sense." 

"Can I hold Kurumi?" Torifu interjected. He held out his arm expectantly, but Kagami shook his head. 

"She has to stay with me. We're _bonding_." 

Koharu shook her head, throwing her hands in the air. "Hiruzen has monkeys, you have an owl. Can I have something?" She turned her sharp gaze to Tobirama. "Sensei, if Kagami can have an owl, I'd like to request an animal too."

Tobirama shook his head, feeling distant from the entire situation. _Defeated_. "I'm not responsible for anima--"

"I'm going to get an animal nobody's ever seen." Danzou interrupts them, although he's speaking more to Hiruzen and Homura than anyone else. "A summon. But not a regular summon, or a bird." 

The owl let out a soft noise. Almost like a warning. The owl-- _Kurumi_ \-- met Tobirama's gaze head on in what felt like a challenge for dominance. 

The owl won. 

Tobirama crouched down, very pointedly missing being close to the damned bird. He disregards his other students for a long moment, meeting Kagami's eyes. Black bore into bright red, and the large owl shifted. It let out an ominous sound, not quite a hoot. 

"Kagami." Tobirama said very gently. "Kagami, why do you have an owl?" 

Kagami tilts his head, letting his cheek nuzzle against soft feathers. "What do you mean, sensei?"

Tobirama stared at him. (He thought briefly of his failed lessons plans for today, of his thought out ideas and Taijutsu stances he planned and tailored to each of his students' needs and abilities. He mourned the loss of attention and his failed day over this damned bird silently.)

"Why did you decide to... _adopt_ it." The Senju has no better word for it than that, because he isn't entirely sure where the boy would have acquired such a large owl inside of the village. There were no handlers that exclusively dealt with the nocturnal beasts--well, that he knew of, at least. 

So it left the question of _where_ he acquired it from and why he felt the need to get it open for discussion. 

"Oh." Kagami's mouth went circular for a moment. As if surprised by the question. He smiled brightly, pointing at his owl proudly with his other hand. "Well, you know how Madara-shishou _loves_ falconry? He has all of those falcons! I asked him if I could learn to handle them too, and if I could have some of his."

Tobirama nodded along. 

"Well," Kagami's face twisted into a pout. With a darker edge. More of a grimace. "Madara-shishou said I was too "energetic" for falconry. He wouldn't let me have one of his birds, not even the ones he doesn't even really like. He said I needed something better suited to my personality. It _really_ hurt my feelings, Tobirama-sensei. Really really hurt my feelings. So then I got Kurumi."

Tobirama sighs softly, already aware the boy lost the question in the midst of his story. He glances at the bird that intelligently glared back at him in quiet superiority. 

"You chose to get an owl because Madara hurt your feelings?" He repeats, because he truly doesn't understand the boy's progression from falconry to this abomination. "But why an owl specifically?"

Kagami smiles widely. His head tilts to the side. His eyes close serenely, and he shows his teeth in a mockery of an innocent expression. (There was something dark, a vengeful aftertone about the feigned innocence that reminded Tobirama far too much of the bird on his shoulder.)

"Because," Kagami explains simply. "Owls _hunt_ falcons." 

* * *

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> and then Madara immediately regrets his decision not to give Kagami a falcon. 
> 
> (P. S. Tobirama doesn't get paid enough to put up with these kids.)


End file.
